Building a love-based business is a unique endeavor. It’s not like building just any business. When you’re consciously building a business into one you love, and that loves you back, there’s one really important thing to consider: in order to have a business you love, it’s essential to have clients you love (rather than just marketing to a general target market).

Those clients you love, the ones who love working with you and who sing your praises while you solve a problem they’ve struggled with, are your ideal clients.

Where a target market is a broad demographic, and a niche is a subsection of that demographic, an ideal client is a specific person … and you know exactly what keeps her up at night. You know what motivates her, what inspires her, and what she truly wants at her core.

As the owner of a love-based business, you have a genuine desire to provide a solution for the people who buy your product or service, right?

If you can’t communicate effectively with the people who you’d best serve, then they won’t buy … and you won’t have the opportunity to help them. Not only are you missing out on a sale, but they’re missing out on a potential transformation (likely one they very much desire).

So, that being said, here are three reasons it’s so important to define and understand your ideal client:

You See a Better Return on Investment When It Comes to Your Marketing Efforts.

Different people are motivated by different things, right? Even two members of the same target market or niche may be motivated by different things. For example, if you sell shoes and your niche market is girls ages 10-12, half of them may be motivated by shoes that look awesome and stylish, and the other half may be motivated by shoes that help them run fast. It seems pretty obvious that you’d market to each of these ideal clients differently … efforts to market to both of them at the same time will likely fall flat.

If you’re trying to sell to everyone, you’re probably getting pretty generic. The more generic you get, the less people will recognize their specific problem in your marketing materials. So when you dial in on your ideal clients’ pain points and the transformation you can help them experience, you position yourself as an expert or specialist, and your ideal clients recognize YOU as THE solution they’ve been looking for.

It’s MUCH Easier to Market to One Ideal Client Group Than to a Target Market or Niche Market.

The more people you try to market to, the more messages you need to squeeze into your marketing materials, which means if you’re not careful, it can get very confusing. Plus, you’ll likely end up spending even more time writing and creating your marketing messages than you really want to.

You’ll also have more than one place to market. In the above example, girls who want to run fast are probably hanging out in different groups than girls who want the trendiest shoes. So, to reach both groups, you’re going to have spend time and energy in both groups, which again increases the complexity and number of hours you’re spending on your marketing.

Now, in contrast, consider what it’s like to focus on ONE ideal client group. It’s so much easier to craft messages that speak directly to their soul. You’ll also be able to laser focus on the exact places they’re hanging out.

See why it’s easier AND a better return on your investment to market to one ideal client group?

Attracting Ideal Clients Makes Your Business More Profitable.

Even if you have a small group of ideal clients, you’ll actually attract more of them if your messaging is specific to their unique pain points, desires, and hopes. The more specific your messaging is, the more likely your ideal clients will recognize that you’re talking to them, that you understand them, and that you can solve their problems. Therefore, the more likely they’ll be to buy from YOU.

When you do land several ideal clients (rather than a wide range of client types), you’ll be working with folks who love you, and who YOU love. They become raving fans and tell their friends about you.

Meanwhile, your business resources—marketing, time, energy, and effort—are directed toward helping the clients who love you, rather than putting out fires related to less-than-ideal clients.

The less “ideal” a client is, the more of a challenge it becomes to work with him or her. Less-than-ideal clients are the ones who demand the most attention from you and/or your team, as you try (endlessly) to make them happy. They may also be more likely to ask for refunds, or worse, openly badmouth your business.

And, that doesn’t even cover your personal energy level — less-than-ideal clients are likely the ones you dread talking to, who make you shudder when the phone rings and you know it’s them, and who cause your total exhaustion.

I suspect you didn’t start a business because you want to be drained … and working with less-than-ideal clients will do precisely that.

Now, when your business is filled with ideal clients, you’re much more likely to be “filled up” when you work with them. You’ll love getting on the phone with them, and they’ll energize you. Everything will just flow.

And, don’t worry if you feel like your ideal client group is too small — in most cases, there are more than enough ideal clients to fill your business, and you can always “add” ideal client groups later if you really feel like it’s too narrow.

To sum it up, identifying and getting to know your ideal clients is a huge must! And because it’s so important, here’s a quick exercise to get you started.

Exercise

Take a moment to paint a mental picture of your ideal client. Spend some time with her. Really get to know her. This way, when you begin to write your marketing materials, you’ll have someone to whom to write them.

And get really detailed. Give her a name and a favorite coffee drink. What car does she drive? When she wakes up at three a.m., what’s on her mind? What is she worried about?

If you hang out in the same entrepreneurial circles I have, you’ve likely heard this saying more than a few times.

Basically, what it means is you need to move fast in your business. Make fast decisions. Get new team members on board fast. Fire fast. Create products fast. Launch those products fast.

Fast. Fast. Fast.

Because the faster you move … the faster you make decisions … the faster you launch things to your community …

The faster your business will grow.

Which, of course means, the more money you’ll make.

So, that MUST mean money loves speed.

Right?

Or … is it true?

Take a moment to watch and decide for yourself.

We put so much pressure on ourselves to get things done NOW — if we want a business, we want it to be successful and thriving a few months after we open our doors. If making a million dollars is our goal, we want to be making it NOW. Not tomorrow, not next week, but immediately.

But — does it follow that just because WE want everything done yesterday that everything else in our life (such as money) also worships speed?

I’d love to invite you to consider your own relationship with speed. Is it something that actually helps you keep moving forward? Or is it actually getting in your way? And, if you’re feeling brave, tell me in a comment below.

(Growing up in Wisconsin and the daughter of a scientist, when I first heard of it, I thought it was pretty much a bunch of bull.)

However, at the time when I was first introduced to the Law of Attraction, I was pretty desperate. I was trying all sorts of strategies to attract more money to my business, so I thought why not? I’d give LOA a try.

What did I have to lose?

It turned into one of the biggest mistakes of my life.

Now, before I go any further, let’s talk about what exactly IS The Law of Attraction. It’s a Universal Law, which means it’s always working: “Like attracts like.” In other words, you’ll attract experiences that align with the energy you’re putting out there. Whether it works for you or against you is up to you.

That first time I encountered the Law of Attraction, I didn’t use it correctly. Consequently, I didn’t get the results I was hoping for. (Actually, it was a lot worse than that. I ended up getting myself so messed up it took months to fix.) I did eventually turn things around, but not without a lot of needless suffering and angst. (I share more about my Law-of-Attraction-from-Hell story in my “Love-Based Money and Mindset” book.)

Before I tell you about the 2-step mindset shift that will help you use the Law of Attraction correctly so it actually works for you, I want to give you a quick word of warning: do NOT be deceived by how simple this process seems.

As humans, we often make things more complicated than they are. In reality, keeping things simple tends to serve us better.

Give this a try and see what magic starts to happen in your life and in your love-based business!

Step One. Notice evidence of abundance (whether it’s money or love or anything else you feel is lacking) in your life or business.

When we experience a lack of something, we often start obsessing about it. When we obsess, that’s all we think about.

Our energy reflects that, vibrating at a low frequency of lack.

And then (because as you know, “Like attracts like”), we attract more of that lack.

It’s important to note that this is about more than telling yourself not to think about something—because that never works!

Let’s use money as an example. If you feel like there is not quite enough money in your life or business, then you’re vibrating at a low frequency. To shift that energy, start noticing abundance everywhere.

Find a penny on the street? Receive a check from a client? Discover a dollar in your jeans pocket? Take note of this! It doesn’t have to be cash money, either. For example, if a friend treats you to lunch or someone brings you flowers, or a prospect wants to meet with you – these are all examples of abundance.

Now, journal it! Record five instances of money or abundance in your life, every single day. Even if you don’t believe you have five per day, you’ll start to SEE what you actually do have, already.

Step Two. Be grateful for all the evidence of abundance in your life.

Gratitude is the LOA’s best friend! The more gratitude you feel, the more good things happen for you.

The great news is that Step Two ties directly in with Step One. When you’re journaling your evidence of abundance, take some time to be actively grateful for each piece of evidence.

You may even express your gratitude out loud or in writing. The exciting thing about this is that when you express your gratitude for the abundance you see in your life, more abundance will come your way.

Bonus points if you practice feeling grateful for everything in your life—the roof over your head, the food in your fridge, your clothes, your relationships … you name it.

When you think about it, each of us has so much for which to be grateful. The excitement lies in this realization.

Be patient with yourself as you practice this process. It may feel unnatural or awkward, and that’s okay.

It will get easier, and it will work!

And when it does, you’ll love your love-based business even more than you already do.

If you like (and resonate with) this approach, you might want to check out my book “Love-Based Money and Mindset,” in which I share specific action steps on how you can shift your relationship with money, so you start to easily and effortlessly attract it. Learn more here.

Typically it means giving it your all. So, whatever it is you’re doing — playing a game, starting a business, writing a book, becoming an artist — you’re going big.

Even more than that, you’re doing whatever you can to grow as big as you can. It’s not just enough to start a business, you want to grow a multi-million-dollar company. It’s not enough to publish a book, you want to sell millions all over the world.

And, if you’re not going to go big, than what’s the point? You might as well go home and not do it.

Now, on one hand, it makes sense, right? If you’re going to do something, you might as well do whatever it takes to make it a big success.

BUT … is it really true?

And what if you don’t really WANT to go big? Does that mean you should just go home and not even try?

The product launch: it’s a great way for a conscious, mission-driven spiritual entrepreneur to build both the buzz and her biz, when done right. But did you know that a product launch can also pay off in other ways too?

In other words, a “successful” product launch can mean many positive things for your business, AND for you, that have nothing to do with the number of sales you make during the launch.

However, that intense focus on product launch sales can also cause a tremendous amount of stress. I’ve helped guide hundreds of launches, and in the vast majority of cases, I’ve also taken on the role as “launch therapist.” (Yes, even the big “gurus” are not immune to launch pressure — in fact, I would argue in some cases they feel even more pressure: because they are so big and visible, word definitely gets out if they flop.)

Along with all the usual nasty health issues that we’ve come to expect when we’re under stress (lack of sleep, getting sick, headaches, etc.), what’s not talked about is how we also can slip into fear-based marketing if we’re not careful.

Even the most well-intentioned entrepreneur can find herself or himself using fear-based marketing tactics when an important launch suddenly goes sideways. It’s completely understandable and normal.

The problem is, if you are an entrepreneur who typically uses love to market yourself, slipping into fear can cause confusion in the marketplace. This can lead to your launch (and other marketing efforts) being less effective.

That’s why today I’d like to invite you to consider another perspective — how to view the product launch through a love-based lens.

Not only is this a great way to shift your mindset, but it can also help you take some of the pressure off. And yes, it’s very possible to have a super-successful product launch without a bunch of sales.

Check out these five non-sales, love-based reasons to do a product launch:

You get out in front of your ideal clients: the people who really need you. It’s all about visibility. Even a small product launch can build buzz, and get people talking about you. This can build name and brand recognition, which is key – not only to growing a business, but also to letting your ideal clients know you’re out there, ready to help them solve their problems.

Your ideal clients see you as an expert (because you are!). When you release free content during a product launch, you’re able to allow people to experience how knowledgeable you are. You’re giving them a taste of the transformation you can provide, and they’ll begin viewing you as an expert.

You attract more of your ideal clients, which means you can share your message with a greater number of people. Offering free content is an awesome way to build your list. A growing, responsive list is key to building your business, and it’s also critical to building the relationships that allow you to share your gifts!

You build momentum. Product launches take an enormous amount of energy to get off the ground. The laws of physics say that energy is neither created nor destroyed – it’s just transformed. So when you build momentum in creating and launching your product, that energy transforms into momentum for your business. So even post-launch, your prospects are still “talking” about you and are more open to receiving your message.

You’re able to create a bigger impact than ever. The increased visibility and credibility from your launch also increases their interest in YOU. So even if they weren’t interested in the specific product you were launching, they may be interested in other products and services you offer. This means you’re able to help a greater number of people in a greater number of ways – making a bigger impact than ever before.

You’ll be reaching tons of people, spreading your message, and sharing your gift. With this love-based mindset, you’ll be able to relax, enjoy your product launch, and view “success” in a whole new light – one that doesn’t focus on just the money.

If you have an online business or you’re looking to start an online business, you’ve likely been taught to build an email list — which is a list of emails belonging to your ideal clients — and market to them by sending out emails.

And, that’s a very solid business strategy. Email marketing has been proven to be one of the most effective way of marketing your business.

The problem is, it certainly seems like it’s a lot less effective than it once was. The number of people opening and clicking on emails seems to be going down all the time. And, while it used to be you could send an email out to your list and make some sales, now you may only hear crickets.

And it allows you to do so in a way that feels good to both you AND your ideal prospects.

What does this mean, exactly?

It means that as a mission-driven, spiritual entrepreneur, you can reach the people you’re meant to serve, effectively. You can also do it in a way that both aligns with your values and makes an impact in the world.

Oh, and I almost forgot — you can watch your business grow, too!

To help you get started as quickly as possible with Love-Based Online Marketing, I’m sharing three keys to begin building online systems you actually enjoy, and that attract, invite, and inspire your ideal clients to work with you so you can make the impact in the world you long to make.

And it’s beneficial, too. When you love your marketing, it shows. Your prospects can sense that you’re passionate about your business and the transformation you provide, and they’re more attracted to you and inspired by you!

Not to mention, the more you love your marketing, the more you’ll actually market yourself, and the more you market yourself, the bigger impact you’ll make in the world.

Now, you might be wondering HOW you come to love your marketing, if you don’t feel all that warm and fuzzy about it right now.

Let’s talk about your mindset.

Why don’t you like it?

Maybe you feel like you aren’t good at it, or it requires so many things you should be doing (and you don’t like doing those things).

Or, maybe you take it seriously. VERY seriously.

You’re struggling with cash flow, and therefore, marketing feels like business life-or-death.

But what if you could shift your mindset around these reasons for disliking marketing?

Try thinking about this:

There are countless marketing tactics. Out of all of them, I’ll bet there’s one or more that you could come to enjoy or maybe even (gasp!) love.

Here’s a partial list, and rest assured that even if you don’t see something here that resonates with you, there are TONS of other tactics (which I outline in my “Love-Based Online Marketing” book):

Coaching (yes there’s a way to use your love of coaching in your marketing)

Speaking in person or virtually

Being interviewed in person or virtually (like for a summit or podcast)

Writing articles, blog posts, or emails

Being on TV or radio

Once you determine which is best suited to you and your personality, you can begin to build love-based marketing campaigns around it.

You’ll feel great while you’re doing the marketing, and as I mentioned above, your prospects will naturally feel attracted to you and your business.

Key 2. Dissolve Any Resistance You Have to Marketing.

As you know, I’m all about love-based marketing. I believe in using love-based emotions (like hope) to sell your products and services.

For so many people, including conscious, spiritual entrepreneurs, marketing can be a huge trigger, because it brings up so many different fears, including:

Fear of being seen

Fear of failure

Fear of using up your “free” time

Fear of using up all your money

Fear of selling yourself

Take a moment to think about which fears marketing brings up for you.

Marketing resistance can be sneaky, and at first look, it may seem like you’re afraid of one thing when you’re actually afraid of another. Try this exercise to determine your “real” fears.

Exercise – Part One

Go ahead: grab a pen and a piece of paper and write down any marketing-related frustrations and dislikes.

Maybe you feel like you don’t have time for marketing. Or maybe you feel like you’re just terrible at it.

Once you have a list of several dislikes or frustrations, take this exercise deeper.

If you feel like you don’t have time, ask yourself why. Why haven’t you made time for marketing? Is it because you’ve always thought marketing was sleazy? Remind yourself that you’re selling a product or service that has the potential to transform people’s lives—that you’re offering your product or service because you want to change the world!

Exercise – Part Two

Consider this mindset shift:

When it comes right down to it, love-based marketing creates the space for someone to make a choice about whether to work with you and experience a transformation, or to not work with you, and not experience a transformation.

When you think about it this way, doesn’t marketing produce less resistance?

Key 3. Come from a Place of Love.

In broad terms, traditional marketing copy uses fear-based emotions to get people to buy. That’s why it can sometimes feel a bit arm-twisty.

As I mentioned earlier, love-based marketing copy gives ideal prospects the space to make a choice. They’re choosing between transformation and the status quo. They’re choosing whether to work with you or not.

In your marketing, you can touch on their pain and present your product or service as the solution. Paint a picture of how different their life can be… and then stand back and let them make the choice about whether to experience it.

When you do, you can rest easy that your marketing feels good to you and to your prospects, and that it works!

You’ll begin to build your business by attracting, inviting, and inspiring people to say “yes” to their own transformations rather than by twisting their arms to get them to buy from you.

And the best part? The more people who say “yes” to working with you, the bigger an impact you’ll be making in the world.

Well, in a lot of cases, we get stuck in our own beliefs or stories and can’t move forward. So, for instance, some examples of beliefs or stories that hold us back could be something like “I’m terrible at math,” “I suck at public speaking” “I’m bad at business” or “I’m not good with money.”

It’s my personal belief (no pun intended) that the biggest thing holding people back from living their dreams is their personal beliefs. I know how painful it can be to live a life that isn’t your own, but so often we’re the ones who build our own prisons, trapping ourselves with our own beliefs and perceptions. However, if we can flip our perspective, that may provide enough of a crack to break us free.